She has won 7 Grammy Awards. The RIAA named Braxton as one of the top selling R&B artists of all time.
She first burst onto the scene in 1992 on the Boomerang soundtrack, after Anita Baker turned down the opportunity. In 1993 Toni released her self-titled debut album, which stayed at the top of the charts for a year and was a critically acclaimed album.
Toni released her sophomore effort, Secrets in 1996 which also did very well on both R&B and Pop charts. From that album Toni got two #1 hits; "You're Making Me High "and "Unbreak My Heart", which spent 14 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard top 100, and was a worldwide hit. After 5 Grammy awards and a little break, Toni Braxton came back strong with her 2000 album The Heat. Though not as successful as her first two albums, The Heat went on to sell 4 million copies and spawned the huge hits "He Wasn't Man Enough"and "Just Be A Man About It".
Toni has released two further albums, 2002's More Than a Woman and 2005's Libra. Toni's sixth studio album Pulse was released in May 2010 via Atlantic Records. The singles "Yesterday" and "Hands Tied" were the biggest hits. Subsequent singles to be released from "Pulse" include "Make My Heart" and "Woman."
In January 2011, the WE Television Network confirmed that it had signed Toni and the rest of the Braxton family for a reality series, Braxton Family Values, which will be marketed as one of the network's flagship shows. The series debuted April 12, 2011, and looks at the relationship between Toni, her mother, and her four sisters; Trina, Tamar, Traci and Towanda β all aspiring singers themselves β along with the interpersonal relationships of each family member. The show also looked at Braxton's heavily publicized separation from estranged husband, singer Keri Lewis. Toni parted ways with her long time manager Vincent Herbert (who was also the husband of sister Tamar Braxton at the time), and signed a new management deal with Los Angeles-based entertainment/production company 'The Collective'.
In 2014, Toni released a collaborative album with Babyface entitled Love, Marriage & Divorce; primarily inspired by their individual divorces (Toni with Keri, and Babyface with Tracey Edmonds). The album was supported by the singles "Hurt You", "Where Did We Go Wrong" and "Roller Coaster"; and won Best R&B Album in the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (2015).
Toni's long-awaited eighth album Sex & Cigarettes was released on Def Jam in March 2018, which was supported by the singles "Deadwood", "Long as I Live" and "FOH". The album also featured a sole guest appearance from singer Colbie Caillat, and was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album in the 61st awards ceremony (2019).
Signing to Island Records in 2020, Toni released her ninth album Spell My Name in August 2020, featuring collaborations with H.E.R. & Missy Elliott. The album was released to positive reception, but was her lowest-charting album yet, peaking at #163 on the Billboard 200.
Spell My Name
Toni Braxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You said I'm what you wanted (wanted)
And I'm still about it
I treat it like I own it
But it's the feeling from it, yeah
Wait, I'm used to being pulled up on the lovin'
Tell me youngin' can you hang?
Wanna play
Ooh hey, can you take me where I want play?
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N, I-B-R
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N, I
Spell my name
Let's take this one step further, yeah
Just give me time and I'ma (show you)
That I'm a grown man
I'll get you straight up fiendin'
Kiss you night-night and put you to bed
Wait, hold up whatchu sayin'? Hold up tell me what you doin'?
It's ok
You gon' have to hug it, love it, touch it ,kiss it
Please don't wait
Make me beg
Ooh hey, take me where I wanna be
Spell my name (can you spell it?)
(Show you), I-B-R-A
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N, I
Spell my name
Tell me what you looking for
You don't need to look no more
Tell me what you lookin' for
Spell it
Spell my name
T-O-N-I
Spell my name
T-O-N-I
Spell my name
In the song Spell My Name, Toni Braxton sings about a promise sheβs been stuck living on, relying on the person who promised her that she was what they wanted. She emphasizes how important the feeling from the promise is to her, making connections emotionally. She then boasts about being older and loving it before candidly asking if the person is up for the challenge of loving someone like her.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Spell My Name," which is essentially Braxton's metaphorical way of saying that one needs to know her, inside and out. The repetition of her name implies that she wants the person to learn her intimately, not just memorize her name but know the various layers that make her who she is. In the second verse, she takes things even further, exclaiming how she wants the person to know everything she needs and wants. She instructs the person on what to do with a lot of sensual imagery, but she also verges on being prone to temptation herself. Ultimately, she wants the person to learn and remember her name not in a superficial way; she wants them to learn her emotional self along with her physical self.
Line by Line Meaning
Stuck living on a promise (promise)
I am still waiting for the promise you made, and I am trapped in that hope.
You said I'm what you wanted (wanted)
You made me believe I am everything you want and need.
And I'm still about it
I still have the same feelings towards you as I did when you first told me.
I treat it like I own it
I value this relationship and I treat it with respect and care.
But it's the feeling from it, yeah
My love for you is not just based on the promises you made, but also the feelings that we have for each other.
Wait, I'm used to being pulled up on the lovin'
I am used to intense feelings of love and passion in a relationship.
Tell me youngin' can you hang?
I am asking if you are capable of handling the intensity of my love.
I'm a little older and I really kinda like it that way
I am comfortable with my age and the maturity it brings to a relationship.
Wanna play
I want to have fun and enjoy myself in this relationship.
Ooh hey, can you take me where I want play?
Can you fulfill my desires and take me where I want to go in this relationship?
Spell my name
I want you to show me that you know me and truly understand me.
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N, I-B-R
These are the letters that make up my name, including my initials.
Spell my name (can you spell it?)
I am still asking for you to prove that you know me.
(Show you), I-B-R-A
This is the acronym for 'I'll be right there.'
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N, I
This is my name without my last name, 'I' symbolizing my individuality.
Tell me what you looking for
I want to know what you want from our relationship.
You don't need to look no more
You don't need to look for anyone else, because I am everything you need.
Spell it
Once again, I am asking you to spell my name, to prove that you truly know me and understand me.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Johnny Yukon, Akeel Henry, Antonio Dixon, Toni Braxton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Armin Mesic
"Spell My Name"
Stuck living on a promise
You said I'm what you wanted
And I'm still about it
I treat it like I own it
But it's the feeling from it, yeah
Wait, I'm used to being pulled up on the lovin,
Tell me youngin' can you hang?
I'm a little older and I really kinda like it that way
Wanna play
Oh hey, can you take me where I want please?
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N- I-B-R
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N-I...
Spell My Name
Let's take this one step further
Just give me time and I'mma (show you)
That I'm a grown man
I'll get you straight up fiendin
Kiss you night-night and put you to bed
Wait, hold up whatchu sayin hold up tell me what you doin'
It's ok
You gon have to hug it love it touch it kiss it
Please don't wait
Make me beg
Oh hey, take me where I wanna be
Can you spell it?
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N- I-B-R-A
Spell my name
T-O-N-I-B-R-A-X-T-O-N- I...
Spell My Name
Tell me what you looking for
You don't need to look no more
Tell me what you lookin for
Can you spell it?
Sean Jenkins
I don't care what the numbers say. This album is AMAZING
ΰ² α΄₯ΰ²
9l
rimi adoss
And beyond
A. Danquah
Toni Braxton is a genre, a whole mood and a living legend.
PieceMaka
A. Danquah fActs!
His Mrs Slots
And in that order.
Gods Favorite
Indeed!!
Joshua Wyrick
Totally agree!! A whole mood indeed!!
Blaine Kindt
Love you hate you always love hearing miss brax
Pablo Morales
Finally! Toni has found the perfect balance between new & classic in this album. Mature and fresh at the same time. The production is just RIGHT for her voice and her talent. Back to the edgy vibes of The Heat... EPIC